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VIA NET.WORKS is scrambling to support customers of its Amen web hosting business after workers walked out in protest at the planned sale of VIA to UK ISP Claranet.

Strikers claim the number of support tickets outstanding for Spain, the UK and France has peaked at an all-time high of 2,000 - five times higher than the normal level of customer support issues.

Although VIA has drafted in workers from other parts of the company to help maintain Amen it accepts that it is battling to beat the backlog.

In a statement the company said: "Due to a strike movement from a part of our staff, the replies to support tickets can be delayed. VIA has already dispatched the necessary staff to continue to assure the service. Several collaborators from VIA Group together with AMEN team are already working to give you the best service quality possible. Thank you for your confidence and for your comprehension."

A spokesman for the company told The Register: "We acknowledge that there is a delay but we're doing everything we can to catch up."

Striking workers insist their action is not meant to "paralyse Amen services but to obtain guarantees from Via and/or Claranet on employment continuity". Should workers have their demands met then they are prepared to return to work to sort out the backlog of problems.

The strike, which is nearing the end of its second week, is causing real problems for Amen's customers.

One user, who asked not to be identified, told us that his company was experiencing "massive problems" after its email service was wiped out. Attempts to get Amenworld to resolve the problem have so far proved unsuccessful, he said. ®